About Chan Johnson
A Guitarist with Soul, History, and Dream
Chan Johnson is a genre-fluid guitarist, composer, bilingual songwriter, producer, and educator whose music tells stories that move both heart and mind. His journey began in Saint Louis, where the pulse of Jazz and the groove of R&B shaped his early sound. Raised on Wes Montgomery and Motown, Chan found inspiration at just five years old while watching Montgomery live at the Lighthouse Café in Los Angeles. By twelve, he picked up the guitar, and by fifteen, was performing four nights a week in Saint Louis clubs, earning recognition among local artists as a “first-call” guitarist and music director.
Chan’s passion led him to study classical piano and music education at Florissant Valley Community College before completing a Bachelor’s in Jazz Composition and Arranging from the Berklee College of Music. His early career as a Saint Louis musician quickly expanded to include performances with icons like Parliament Funkadelic, Natalie Cole, Elton John, Phyllis Hyman, Branford Marsalis, and Albert King.